Gilly will make his Eng debut at centre, Sam will play with George in the halves.

Congrats Ollie.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... ake-connor Would have been nice to see Tom Johnstone but you can't really complain about the wingers chosen.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2018/ ... ake-connor Would have been nice to see Tom Johnstone but you can't really complain about the wingers chosen.

I honestly think Johnstone is naturally far more talented than Makinson. Tommy for me is in the category of: strong SL player, not an international, similar to Lomax. Johnstone, like Manfredi have more potential, can be all round star wingers.

Happy with the team selected. I think Sam is in a role that will suit him down to the ground in internationals and we’ve gone really attacking with both Williams and Connor starting. I look forward to seeing how Gildart gets on. He was brilliant in the semi and final and really forced this opportunity so I hope he takes it.

no percival? Id swap sam and Lomax and Have Johnstone in for either wingers.

Definitely have Johnstone over Makinson but McGilvary has shown himself to be a top level performer for us

There’s something about Percival which Bennett isn’t convinced about, I assume defensively.

I get Makinson over Johnston, the latter more likely to offer a moment of magic however Makinson has a better all round game imo and is a safer bet.

What I don’t get is why Bennett’s picked Sam who has played full back all year in the halves and Lomax who’s played in the halves all year at full back.

I find it strange that Oli was picked as a late call up but has been given the nod over Percival and Lyne, add to that Percival has been much better than him this season. I also find the Sam/Lomax position switch strange.
That being said I hope Oli performs well and it helps propel his career onto the next level.

Percival has defensive question marks against him. (Jack Hughes made him look daft in the semi).
Gildarts defensive work goes largely unnoticed but I don't remember too many getting the better of him and I include kallum Watkins in that.

Makinson does shoot out the line occasionally but I agree he may just see him as a safer bet.

I wouldn't be surprised to see lomax and tomkins switch at points during the game.

Sam could easily play the full game at full back. Its a very Australian thing to do. Dont be shocked if one of the named subs starts the game.

Gildart will have his hands full dealing with the Kiwis tomorrow,I'm not sure that he's physical enough to deal with international rugby either in attack or defense

Good luck to him though

He kept Shenton in his back pocket for the whole semi final and Bryson Goodwin was put in the other pocket in the final.

Ollie has been picked on form and deservedly so.

Whether he is or isn't is irrelevant
It's if there's anyone better then him.

Any suggestions?

As Tricky says he's defensively kept 2 of the better centre's quiet in the last 2 games and done as well as any other against Watkins over the last 2/3 years.
Also got the better of a state of origin player in the WCC in Jack Bird.

He'll be up against Manu, won't he? One of the best centres in the world. Good luck to him, he deserves his place. It will be a baptism of fire, though.

Gildart seems the type who steps up a level as the challenges get bigger. I remember the Cronulla game when a lot of talk was about how difficult it would be for him against Jack Bird who was in great form at the time but Gildart totally outplayed him and had a superb game.

Big challenge today but I think he’ll thrive.

He hasn't seen much ball so far, but hasn't done much wrong.

Williams is stealing a living at your spot. Not good enough for this level either.

Not many Leeds players stood out either.

Way to state the obvious.

You honestly think Williams is worth his pricetag and England no6 shirt?

Cheers for biting by the way.

That was a typical Wigan try. Bateman being Bateman and wriggling, spinning and just refusing to be tackled with 3 men around him and then Gildart always alert with a typical Gildart finish.

That was the 3rd game in a row that Lockers shouldn't have played in. Gildart has improved so much since playing on the right compared to his indifferent start to the season, its always rewarding to see a player come good after some adversity.

Thought he went pretty well today and challenged the Kiwis defence a number of times. He kept things pretty simple and ran the clock down late on finding touch on a few occasions. He was defensively very sound as usual.

He’s no Jordan Lilley though.

Youre right there!

He's not wrong though is he